Candidates Needed to Fill Missoula City Council Vacancy for Second Time This Year

For the second time this year, the Missoula City Council will be gathering to vote on a candidate to fill a vacant seat in Ward 2.

"Ruth Anne Swaney, who was appointed earlier this year to serve on city council in Ward 2, has announced that she is resigning her position and so the city council is looking for applicants to fill that slot," said Missoula City Clerk Marty Rehbein. "The term starts as soon as we swear them in and continues until the first Monday in January 2020."

The same seat was left open last December when Harlan Wells resigned from the position and the Missoula City Council had to pick an interim replacement in January. The public won’t get to vote on the seat this time either, because the ballot process is too far along.

"The time has expired for Mrs. Swaney's name to be removed from the ballot for upcoming city elections and the time has also passed for anyone to file as a write-in candidate for that seat, so the appointment process is the one that the law provides to fill this slot and the city council is the one to make that decision," Rehbein said.

Anyone interested in filling the position must be a resident of Ward 2, which is in the northwest portion of the city. Candidates must submit applications before 10 a.m. on Friday, October 20th. A public interview process will occur in city council chambers on October 25th. The position pays around 1,250 dollars per month plus benefits.